And clara jane chapman



Fig. 3 1s a side view of a modification, show- UNITED STATES PATENT O -EEICE.

FREDERICK REVANS CHAPMAN AND CLARA JANE CHAPMAN, OF DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

APPLIANCE FOR LABELING PLANTS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551 ,578, dated De embe 17, 1895. Application filed April 8, 1895. Serial No. 544,976. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK REVANs CHAPMAN and CLARA JANE CHAPMAN, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and residents of the city of Dunedin, in the Colony of New Zealand, have invented a new and useful Appliance for Labeling Plants and other Objects, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in appliances for labeling plants and other objects by means of a convenient-standard or carrier furnished with a double or multiple hook capable of carrying any suitable 1abel, together with a special form of label adapted to the said standard or carrier; and the objects of our invention and improvements are, first, to provide a convenient movable label-standard; secondly, to furnish one which shall be readily adjustable; thirdly, to insure that the labels carried upon it shall be uniformly presented directly to the observer; fourthly, to so secure them that they may be presented at any angle that may be found suitable, and, fifthly, to provide a special form of label by means of which these objects are obtained when it is used with the standard.

We attain these objects by means of the appliances illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front perspective of the standard or carrier with recurved hooks carrying an ordinary label of metal or other material. Fig. 2 is a side View or profile of the same.

ing the hooks in different form and ofiering a greater obstacle to the action of wind in tending to blow off the label. view of the standard having hooks recurved and inverted'i. c., curved downward and backwardso as to be capable of being pressed down past the standard. Fig. 5 shows the same form of standard with label suspended ready to be pressed down. Fig. 6 shows a standard with hooks somewhat fiattcned and in a position to be pressed upon the face of the label so as to secure it at any angle. Fig. 7 is a side view showing the flattened hooks arranged at a different angle from Fig. 8. Fig. 8 shows the upper portion Fig. 4: is a side of the standard bent at an obtuse angle. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an improved form of label. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a modified form applied to a standard.

Our invention consists in the construction and connection of a standard, a label-supporting double hook, and a label proper, as hereinafter described.

The standard may be made as above described, or its lower end may be branched so as to have a better hold in the ground, or it may be provided with clips or other appliances, or may be capable of being bent so that it may be used on the edge of a pot, or upon a branch or part of a tree, or upon a stake or any part of a frame used for sup porting plants, or upon any other like object.

The double hook I) is composed of two hooks, (see Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive,) formed of the ends of a flexible wire which is secured at the head of or in any suitable position upon the standard a, and so arranged that labels of metal or other substance, such as are now in use, may be hung upon it. Though a double hook is specified, a triple or multiple hook may be used, if found more convenient, especially for carrying heavier labels.

The distance between the two parts of the double hook is of course regulated by the distance between the holes of the label.

The wire composing the hooks is coiled or twisted about the head of the standard, and may be secured by solder.

When it is desired to use a permanent label, as for trees in botanical gardens, the curvedin ends of the hooks may be bent over and carried in farther toward the standard or rod a, so as to closethe hooks and render the label incapable of being removed save by means of pliers. \Vhen' closed, the hooks may, if desired, be secured with solder or in any other way. The form of hook which is inverted or turned downward, as shown in Figs. tand 5, secures the above objects, since it may be readily pressed down with the thumb toward the rod, so as to render the label incapable of being removed.

hen it is desired to fix the label at an angle, the recurved ends of the hooks may be any direction that may secure this result, and may, if desired, be secured in this position by means of solder.

The label 0, Fig. 9, consists of a plate of metal of any design to suit the taste, and having a brace c bent at any suitable angle, and having one, two or more holes at the upper end to correspond with the hooks b of the standard. In the lower end is a hole through which the standard a is passed. This brace is integral with the plate. In place of this support 0 a wire 0 Fig. 10, may be used bent or crossed, so as to form a loop with the ends fixed to the lower edge of the label. The standard is passed through the hole or loop in the brace, so as to present the label at an angle of about forty-five degrees. The label is secured to the head of the standard by the hooks b, which are recurved and bent so as to wholly or partially close them.

0ur ilnproved standard may be used with almost any form of label capable of being suspended upon a double hook. It enables the gardner, without trouble or delay, to place his label at any desired angle to admit of its being read most conveniently, and to readjust the angle. It is more handy than any ordinary form of label, as the use of thin flexible wire for the hooks renders it readily adjustable to labels of various shapes with varyin g distance between the holes, while, by compression, the hook may be used asa single hook or one hook may be dispensed with. It is so constructed that the label will not be accidentally knocked off or blown off by the wind. The label, owing to the hook being double, is held with its face always in one direction, since it cannot turn edgewise.

The standard thus furnished with the double hook may be used with nearly all the known forms of labels now in the market, es-

pecially light zinc labels, and even for suspending cards and temporary labels for almost any purpose.

\Vhat we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As an improved article of manufacture, the plant-label holder consisting of the standard and a double hook formed of a wire whose middle portion is bent or twisted about the head of the standard, as shown. and described.

2. The combination of a label or plate having a divergent brace, with a standard having devices secured to its head for engaging the upper edge of said label, the brace also engaging the body of said standard, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with a standard having laterally projecting hooks, of a label or plate having perforations in one edge, and a brace which diverges from its lower edge and is provided with an eye in its free end, whereby the label is adapted to engage and be supported by the hooks and body of the standard as shown and described.

4. The improved label, composed of a plate having a brace which diverges therefrom at an angle, and whose free end engages the body of a standard or carrier, as shown and described.

5. The improved label, composed of a plate having a brace which is integral therewith and diverges from one edge of the same at an angle as specified, whereby it is adapted to engage a standard and support the label proper, as shown and described.

FREDERICK REVANS CHAPMAN. CLARA JANE CHAPMAN.

Witnesses J. R. SINCLAIR, J AMES S. STUART. 

